St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-09
JAPANESE SPORT.
MERRY SCENES AT THE KITE-FLY-
ING FESTIVAL LAST APRIL.
The Polfteness of Popular Manners-Holi-
day-makers on the Hill of Compira
f1sht1ng Kites In the ARA Beautiful
View of the Harbor of Nagasaki.

kite-tlying is favorite sport anon,
the japanese, and a popular holida,
which occurs early in April is general,
devoted to this amusement. An Englisl
traveller in Japan, who was in Nagasak
last April, gives an interesting sketch O
the kite-t1ying On the hill of Compira
near the city. He says:
ut was lovely sunny spring day
with strong breeze-almost an idea
day for kite-fying as we all agreed. As
our party left the town, we found the
stream of holiday-makers setting toward
Compira, along narrow track which
wound up the valley. To be carried
along in such crowd was in itself q
pleasure. The majority were dressed in
! their national costume, and in their hes,
dresses; some in lovely silks, others in
artistic-patterned cotton stuffs. The
| children were most delightfully."- quaint
little objects. Dressed in bright fowered
garments of the same shape as those of
their elders, the boys with shortcut
black hair, the girls with the hair plas-
tered and drawn out into curious fantas-
tic curves set off with bit of red stuff,
they trotted quietly along, often holding
their parents hands, and now and again
their merry shrill laughter mingled with
the cheerful clatter of their wooden pat
tens. A goodly proportion of the crowd
was OF the fair sex; and many laughing
trio OF girls we saw, with their glossy
black tresses tied up with bit of bright
red, lowered girdles, and scarlet lining
to the fold of the kimona, as it Law across
the bosom, harmonizing with the warm
brown tint of the skin. There was no
jostling or pushing Every one was in
the utmost good humor; and we had
ample opportunity of observing the pro-
verbal politeness of the japanese of all
classes
Soon the road brought US through a
small hamlet-just a dozen or so of
houses. Each house was full of on-look-
ers watching the passers-by. The ada
cent gardens were gay with the bloom of
numerous fruit trees-almond. plum,
peach, etc.-as we'll as with lovely
camellias. Here and there by the road
side stood peddler with stores of sweet.
meats, ice-balls, ETC., and toys for the
children. At last we arrived at the out
skirts OF the fair; just below the brow
OF the hill was leyeled space, where
rose wooden joss-house, in the court
yard of which were placed dozens of
stalls. The joss-house was crowded
with devotees; and we stayed for
a while to observe them Each wor-
SHIPPER, first clapping his hands to
attract the gods attention, would throw
In handful of copper cash, and then,
bowling, humble a prayer in an un-
known tongue Corrupt Sanskrit). The |
stalls were filled, some with refresh |
nents of various kinds, some with TOYS.
Among the latter the favorite appeared
70 be ferocious-looking Corean tigers,
heir heads separate from the body and
so ingeniously suspended that they
moved with every breath of wind
There were few children now without
branch of bamboo, with large sugar
lshes or similar sweet effigies hanging
rom it.
"Climbing little higher to the shoulder
IT the hill, we found the fun in full
wing. The hillside was black with
PEOPLE; many had pitched booths of can
as or bamboo and were picnicking at
heir ease, the sake bottle passing merrily
ound, and the shrill voices of geissha
iris mingling with the high-pitched
otes OF their samtsens Ia sort of banjoJ.
Dozens Of kites were being flown; and
7e stationed ourselves behind one man
nd watched his proceedings The kite
J of rhomboid shape, with two small
'ings, but no tail. The upper part of
ne string is armed with powdered glass,
, that when drawn against the una rmed
art of another string it will divide it.
ur friend had just lost a kite, and I
as sending up another one. It soon I
Jared to a great height and attracted
he attention of the late conqueror. An /,
1citing contest now began. By strong !
TX and dexterous movement of the
rist or finger the kite was made to l
unge headlong downward, and then t
rned in vast sweeping circles Pres g
lily, after several Intellectual assaults,
e enemy made swoop, but was clev- = =
ly avoided and as he sought to regain y
S previous elevation he exposed his
ring to a dashing sweep of our kite
trlce the two strings were crossed,
ID before the enemy could relax his it :,
as cut and the freed kite floated j
7ay into the valley. We saw I.
e victor triumph over several u
her kite-fyers; but at last he :,
st his own. Crates full of kites W
ere stationed here and there, and their o
rners drove roaring trade. Down p
the valley were observed lots of men W
d boys armed with long bamboos, some Il
rched up in trees; and as the severed IL
les came plunging down, there was an d d
ger competition as to who should get a. y
I'm: A midshipman of our party was th
W inspired to try his hand at kite-ty- TO
:; his kite was soon soaring at great be
walton, but his pleasure was of short
ration. A japanese schoolboy offered
tie; and in few seconds tie mex
fenced MILDLY was looking ruefully at hs
freed kite sailing away across the W;
ley, to the amusement of the on on
kers." he
The peak of the hill still lowered he
we us; thin stream of people was o,(
ing along the path up, and we decided w. w.
oin them. We soon gained the sum- no
!, finding there small rough stone be-
pile, evidently very ancient, with a tn,
dful of worshipers in it. A truly on
ynificent panorama now lay before us; sp1
lovely harbor of Nagasaki, with the ma
nds which guard its entrance, among
n the island of Pappenberg, the scene
he ruthless SLAUGHTER of many thou